Voice of an Angel
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: Cloud laments over how his life is going horribly wrong, and he receives a very unusual phone call... / fluff


Eyes closed, Cloud sat in the in the church. Hearing the sound of falling rain against the roof, and falling around him, soothing the soul of all that was hard in the world, Cloud was listening to Tifa as she talked to him on his phone.

"Reno called. Just wanted to let you know that he sounds like he's in a hurry, so try not to make him wait too long, okay?"

Cloud nodded, not that Tifa would see that, and gave a low yes as a reply.

"Are you alright?"

The former-SOLDIER looked up at the ceiling, angst and benevolence aching through him, "I will be."

"Cloud, you should come see us soon, Denzel misses you and he's been getting sick as of late," Tifa urged.

Denzel was a boy Cloud had met months ago. An orphan since the destruction of Midgar, Denzel came to live with Tifa at the 7th Heaven ever since Cloud had found him near the church.

He was pretty close to Cloud.

Tifa waited for a reply, but she never got one, but she didn't say anything angry at Cloud. "I hope to see you here too. Later."

After he heard her hang up, Cloud closed his phone. _Sick? He might have the Stigma_. This was probably the case. Geostigma was a sickness that people around the world had been getting ever since Meteor Fall two years before, a sickness that was slowly killing people.

And once you were diagnosed with the Stigma, there was nothing you could do to stop it. This much Cloud knew. Denzel and he had the same problem now.

Setting his phone in the flowerbed which surrounded him, Cloud began to think, which most people believed he did too much of.

Despair reigned heavily like the downpour that had just started now.

Death and Despair went hand in hand in the world, and it seemed that Cloud was a magnet for it. He didn't complain, he just let the sorrow consume him. Tifa and Marlene had always tried to help him, extending their hands in support, but he spurned them at every turn. Not out of spite, but because he believed he deserved it.

He lost his best friend…

He was going to lose another…

And he was powerless to save either of them, just like he was powerless to save her—

His phone was going off then. Tifa must be trying to call him again. So soon?

Reaching for his phone, Cloud didn't even bother checking the Caller ID, and he answered the call, "…hello?"

No reply.

"Hello?"

Nothing but air. Waiting a few seconds, Cloud waited for the dial to say disconnected or something, but nothing happened. He checked the ID on the back of the phone.

Unknown Number it said.

He tried one last time, "Hello."

"Hello."

The reply came from a female voice. One that was disturbingly familiar, even after two years. Cloud didn't know whether or not to believe what he was hearing, so he kept quiet. It couldn't be who he thought it was. She wasn't—

"Why are you still there?"

_What did that mean? 'Still there'? _Could this woman know he was in the church?

"What do you mean?" Cloud replied.

"Being all sad when others are worried about you, its not right to ignore them. Right, Cloud?"

That reply convinced him. It was _her_.

The voice went on, "Losing those you care about is hard to accept for everyone, not just you. But that shouldn't hold you down, right?"

Angelic as it was, it was true to the point. Cloud spoke, "I just…let you die." That memory had forever left a hole in Cloud's heart, to see her fall by the blade of his nemesis, and to not be able to save her.

A few seconds passed as Cloud waited for a reply. He confronted who he believed the voice was and waited to see what she would say. He heard a sigh, "Cloud, you shouldn't be consumed by it."

"Huh?"

"Grief. You let it consume you, and you'll never see the light of which you live for," she replied. "You'll find your light, and when you do, it will lead you on the right path. Sure, there are things you cannot prevent, but then again, there are some things that you _can_ prevent. Right? All you have to do is try and believe in yourself."

_Is it that simple?_ "A right path…and confidence…"

"That's right. You'll find them. I know you will."

Encouraging the voice was, and the Cloud felt a warmth pulsing in his chest, near that hole of which had once been his heart. Maybe it wasn't as gone as he had thought.

The sun was beginning to shine, its rays hitting Cloud, warming him up, both body and soul.

The voice seemed to feel him too, "You'll be alright, Cloud."

Cloud switched the phone to his left hand, while he placed his right hand on his upper left arm. "Just…how do you still believe that?"

Something warm, he felt something touch his right hand, but he didn't flinch. He was surprised, it was like another hand was resting on his.

He heard a giggle, followed by a whisper in his left ear "Because that is what I believe. I believe in you, Cloud."

Lowering his left arm, Cloud froze everything else, feeling that warmth spread throughout his body. He couldn't bring himself to describe the feelings he was getting. A long lost friend had encouraged him the way she knew best.

Move on in life, and not be held by what happened in the past.

The voice returned, and she spoke softly in his ear, "Everything will be alright. You'll see."

And just as quickly as she came, she was gone.

The warmth that Cloud had felt behind him slowly dissipated, but didn't fully disappear. She was still nearby, it was with him.

Cloud nodded, and then stood up, noticing how much brighter the world had gotten during his conversation. He put his phone away, and with a small smile, started to walk to the doors of the church. His footsteps echoed against the wood and went all around the church.

As he reached for the door handle, he swore he felt something touch his right shoulder. He knew he was the only one in the church.

At least physically.

It took him a split second to look over his shoulder, and even though no one was there, Cloud knew he was not alone.

Even as he left the holy place, he knew he had never been alone to begin with, and he never would be.


End file.
